


Time Out

by Dawn_Khee



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Clockwork basically adopted Danny, Clockwork has a biological son too, Clockwork is the fun parent, Dad!Clockwork, Don't tell Spectrum's mom about this or everyone is grounded, Family Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Prank Wars, Pranks and Practical Jokes, She's Mother Nature from Fairly Odd Parents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2019-12-06
Packaged: 2021-02-26 00:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21654841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dawn_Khee/pseuds/Dawn_Khee
Relationships: Clockwork & Danny Fenton, Clockwork & Spectrum
Comments: 2
Kudos: 35





	Time Out

Clockwork stared at his son. Once again Spectrum had gone on a pranking spree. This time it had gotten "a little" out of hand, and Daniel was more than willing to help. Danny Clockwork should say since he didn't take kindly to being called by his full first name. Control over time was the only reason Clockwork could manage these two...

"You did what?" he asked.

Spectrum gave his dad a smirk and closed his eyes- Clockwork knew his son had learned to prank from him. This was going to be interesting...

"I basically pranked the other halfa with my brother." Spectrum shrugged.

Clockwork wore a neutral face. On one hand, he was responsible for these three. Granted Vlad wasn't present (yet), so the retelling would be entertaining. He had a long, long day debating with the Observants. He needed this.

_I already know what's the worst they've done, but it'll be fun hearing it from them. The Observants are tiring to associate with... So why not?_

So it begins _._

"You two put a kick me sign on his back."  
"Yes, three times in a row." Danny boasted.

Spectrum smirked at Danny as his chains shifted in age in sync with his father's appearance changing. From shiny to dull, to rust-riddled and from youth to adult to elder. Danny was floating a little, with a self-gratified look.

"In return, he tripped you while he was invisible?"

"Jerk," Danny muttered, with his expression falling into a scowl.  
"And you rang his doorbell and ran?"

"Twice last week." Spectrum causally pointed out, with as-a-matter-of-fact tone.

Clockwork eye the two teens, "So he trapped you both in a thermos?"

_Normally, it would be concerning. However, considering the other halfa is my responsibility as well he can only do so much. Besides, these two act like I did as a young ghost._ Clockwork had to keep a smirk down.

"Embarrassing." Spectrum snorted. "I coulda stopped time if he hadn't of snuck up on us."

"And you tp'ed his house?" Clockwork tried to sound stern.

"With ten packages," Danny smirked.

"Then he put ectoplasm in Danny's locker?" Clockwork was secretly impressed at that one.

The halfa gave a sidelong glare at the time-screen, "It took forever to clean out."

"And you changed his ringtone?" (To the Duck Song)

"Yes," Spectrum sniggered. 

"And then you prank called him?" (Five times)

"Duh." they both said.

_Now we're getting to the better pranks. Honestly, I caught Vlad singing to his new theme song when he thought no one was watching. By the end of it, we were acting the whole music out. Naturally, I was the duck,_ a twinkle entered his eye for a second.

"That's when he hired Skulker to kidnap and lecture you Danny?"

"Torture." a deadpan expression met Clockwork. "It was _math_."

_Here it comes..._ Clockwork only halfway held back a smile. 

"What about stopping time and writing on his walls?"

_Now we're getting creative..._ he mused silently _I shouldn't say that I'm proud but... I am._

"Danny told me what to write," Spectrum put in. "That was on him."

_Fruitloop the crazy cat man. Of course, Daniel did._  
"You thought it'd be a good idea to put hair dye in his shampoo?"

"Yes." Danny looked at Spectrum, "but he was the one that wanted it to be pink and glittery."

_No Spectrum, you just don't want him finding you. But he knows where we live, so why try and blame Daniel?_

"Bubble wrap under his rugs?"

"Yes." Danny sighed. "I ran out."

_I could have gotten more. In truth, I'm rather insulted they didn't even tell me._

"Cream cheese deodorant?"

_Ironic, is it not?_

"Yes." Spectrum admitted. "I have no regrets."  
_Neither do I. I must discipline them due to the fact I have no choice, now that is something I regret._

"Danny decided to replace all of his cereal with fruit loops?"

"Seven times." Danny high-fived Spectrum.

_Toucan Sam would be honored._ _Samantha Manson would be proud. however, I must remember not to call her by her full name out loud again._

"So you two replaced his Packers gear with Vikings gear?"

_Although it was amusing to watch, that was too far._

"Yeah, that was a dumb idea." he winced. "Seared one of my antlers."  
"Never. again." Danny resolved. "Unless I have a thermos."

After staying in barely stern silence Clockwork addressed his sons.

"Why didn't you two invite me?"

"We thought you'd say no," Spectrum sighed.  
"Spectrum, I am not like my employers. I know how to have fun every now and then."

"So I'm not grounded?"

_For pranking the other halfa I have to watch over, no. It keeps him too busy to cause trouble._

"You are for not inviting me." Clockwork smirked.

"So it's a time out?"  
"Danny would be proud of that pun." Clockwork looked at Danny  
Danny smirked. "It's funnier from him." Danny pointed at Clockwork.

_Nice try, I'll give you credit but..._

"Daniel, you're still grounded too."  
"Darn it!" he looked down at the ground.

"You're fourteen Little Badger," Vlad quipped, walking up as black rings changed him from Plasmius to Masters. "you'll survive."

Danny had no idea that Clockwork had taken Vlad in as part of the family until now. Vlad shot him a bratty grin, smug with arms crossed behind his back. Spectrum wound one of his ghostly chains around Vlad's wrist and pulled him to the ground unceremoniously. Clockwork had to laugh a little at his son's shock when Vlad yanked his chain, literally, and he fell lightly to the ground.

"A man in his forties grounded?" Clockwork lets some sarcasm seep into his voice "I'd rather tell you to sit in the corner."  
Vlad glared a little at the joke but relaxed. He'd learned to chill, with Clockwork's help, and was trying to get his life together. That future Danny saw was just as horrible for him- and he swore never to let Daniel know about it. Vlad wasn't ready to talk to anyone besides Clockwork about it.

_They won't reject you_ Clockwork wore a bit of worry as the three idiots started to jokingly argue with each other. _the fact you're afraid proves that it's not too late._

In a heap, the three were laughing as if they had known each other all their lives. The kind of laugh that people have can be as dumb as they want without a care in the world. The Observants thought Clockwork was emotionless, but that was farthest from the truth. It wasn't their fault they seemed not to care. They were to remain objective when observing timelines and it was when they forgot to consider emotion in _action_ is when they were cruel.

They had changed when Clockwork had married. It was a reminder he had deep emotions, that he could truly feel. When Spectrum had formed, they realized Clockwork wouldn't just eliminate Phantom. They had to tell him to, legally, but they were referring to the darker timeline. Changing Danny's path would lead to his darker future never coming to be.

_Even before I married I couldn't just destroy either of you. I could see what would happen in the future- laughter, joy, redemption. When I married, I knew what would happen if that darker timeline came to be. The first moment I saw Spectrum in person..._ Clockwork had a full-on dad face that soaked in the fact his family was safe and happy, _This was one of the timelines that I couldn't forget._

Even the ghost of time has a family.


End file.
